By Lindsey Bahr, Film Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --Moviegoers could choose violence, sex or family-friendly fare this weekend with three diverse new offerings that all drew healthy numbers at the North American box office.
"The Lego Batman Movie" took the top spot with $55.6 million, dominating "Fifty Shades Darker," which attracted $46.8 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The spinoff of 2014's "Lego Movie" benefited from good reviews and a lack of competition in the family space, which is expected to help it maintain its pace going into the holiday weekend, when kids are out of school.
A whopping 48 percent of opening weekend audiences was under 25. It also bodes well for Warner Bros.' next Lego spinoff, "The Lego Ninjago Movie," set for September.
U.S. audiences were slightly less curious to catch up with the exploits of Christian Grey and Ana Steele the second time around. The sequel didn't compare to "Fifty Shades of Grey's" $85.2 million debut in 2015.
Nick Carpou, Universal Pictures' president of domestic theatrical distribution, said the first movie debuted in a "perfect storm." The film adaptation of the best-selling book had gained immense interest and Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday in 2015, making the movie a date-night destination. This year, the holiday lands on a Tuesday.
"This is a great start," Carpou said, noting that the CinemaScore from audiences is stronger for the sequel. "The story will be told through the first part of this week."
"Fifty Shades Darker" fared much better abroad, bringing in $100.1 million and topping international charts.
The other R-rated sequel in theaters this weekend, "John Wick: Chapter 2" took third place. With $30 million, it more than doubled the debut of the original. The Keanu Reeves hit man flick became a sleeper hit on the small screen, and that goodwill helped bolster interest in the follow-up, which is also getting strong reviews.
"People really love its unapologetic violence," said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for box office tracker comScore.
Rounding out the top five were holdovers "Split," the M. Night Shyamalan psychological thriller that added $9.3 million, for a total of $112.3 million in earnings, and Oscar contender "Hidden Figures" with $8 million, boosting its total to $131.5 million.
It was a strong weekend overall for theaters, attributable to the different options available, Dergarabedian said.
"The tried and true brands are what people really gravitated to this weekend. The top three movies this weekend all based on brands that people know and love," he said. "Each film drew their own audience without harming the other films. This was a perfectly programmed weekend."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Lego Batman Movie," $55.6 million ($37 million international).
2. "Fifty Shades Darker," $46.8 million ($100.1 million international).
3. "John Wick: Chapter 2," $30 million ($10.6 million international).
4. "Split," $9.3 million ($8.5 million international).
5. "Hidden Figures," $8 million ($2.7 million international).
6. "A Dog's Purpose," $7.4 million ($1.5 million international).
7. "Rings," $5.8 million ($9.6 million international).
8. "La La Land," $5 million ($11.5 million international).
9. "Lion," $4.1 million ($3.6 million international).
10. "The Space Between Us," $1.8 million ($1.3 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore:
1. "Fifty Shades Darker," $100.1 million.
2. "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," $69.3 million.
3. "The Lego Batman Movie," $37 million.
4. "Kung Fu Yoga," $16 million.
5. "Cook Up a Storm, $12.1 million.
6. "Duckweed," $11.8 million.
7. "La La Land," $11.5 million.
8. "Jolly LLB 2," $10.5 million.
9. "Rings," $9.6 million.
10. "Split," $8.5 million.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More